Harper fends off leaders' barbs with diplomacy in English debate

By Barbara Yaffe
Canwest News Service

Prime Minister Stephen Harper fielded off attacks from every opposition leader during the English-language debate on October 2. (Tom Hanson/Reuters)

The imperative Thursday night was for Stephane Dion to make a strong, positive impression in order to rescue a faltering Liberal campaign.     

The Liberal leader went a fair distance in doing that, speaking passable English and landing several punches on Stephen Harper.     

He forcefully called the Conservative leader "an imprudent man," inspired by the philosophy of George W. Bush, a laissez-faire leader who doesn't understand the important role government can play.     

Dion's clear advantage was that expectations of him going into the English-language debate were so low.     

As of Thursday, daily polling by Nanos Research had Liberals at 26-per-cent support, well behind Conservatives with 37 per cent. New Democrats were at 19 per cent, Greens at eight per cent.     

The English debate was important for Harper because his recent call for tougher justice for young offenders and planned cuts to arts funding has stalled the party's Quebec support, which will force Conservatives to look for more Ontario votes in order to achieve a majority government.     

The dynamic that had dominated the French-language debate the evening before was at play once again Thursday, with four party leaders all ganging up on Harper. 

Harper cool, calm and collected

And again, the Conservative leader reacted to the onslaught of criticism with diplomacy and calm. His aim was clearly to sound reasonable and prime ministerial, which he did with the exception of one exchange in which Harper was challenged on whether he'd have sent troops to Iraq had he been prime minister in 2003.     

"That's not my position," he mumbled, despite the fact that he is on record back then speaking strongly in favour of Canada's participation in Bush's coalition of the willing.     

Green Leader Elizabeth May repeatedly tore strips off Harper, lambasting his policy interpretations and occasionally wagging a finger at him. She spoke over him as he delivered his responses, correcting statements that she viewed as misleading.     

Dion, who had been praised by poll respondents for his Wednesday French-language debate performance, had a tougher job in English. And stakes were higher because so many more ridings are involved in English Canada.     

The Liberal leader put serious effort into defending his party's Green Shift, which has been such a tough sell.     

When Harper asserted the Liberal policy would feature tax increases twice the size of any cuts, Dion reacted disdainfully: "Mr. Harper, it's a lie. It's not true at all . . . Don't believe this man. We don't need this kind of leader any more."     

Dion also needed to look good enough to marginalize Jack Layton, whose New Democrats are making an aggressive bid to replace the Liberals as official opposition in the Commons.     

Firing volleys at both Harper and Layton, the Liberal leader said: "We have the I-don't-care approach and the far-too-socialist approach."     

He added that the Liberals' centrist approach "has always been good for Canada and is the one we need to follow now." 

Layton waged a passsionate fight

Layton was certainly not marginalized. The NDP leader was feisty and effective, attacking both Harper and Dion on everything from protection for public health care to cuts to arts funding to the Afghanistan mission.     

Layton passionately raised the plight of aboriginal people in Canada, citing communities where children sleep in shifts for lack of beds and adequate housing.     

Some of the most vigorous exchanges focused on the Harper government's handling of the economy.     

Over and over, Harper insisted his government had put in place measures to stimulate key sectors of the economy and that Canada was not in as bad fiscal shape as the U.S.     

Scolded Layton: "The economy is not fine . . . either you don't care or you're incompetent."     

Harper said he personally had been "between jobs, and I understand (economic insecurity). I believe all you guys are sincere in what you're saying but the policies you're advocating would mean ramping up spending and going into deficit."     

Layton prodded Harper to tell the audience what his election platform is, and noted that Conservatives are alone in not having released a platform.      "Where's your platform?" he asked Harper, "Under your sweater?"     

It was a good line, but chances are, the lines were better in the Biden-Palin debate.